Phonix Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Hey guys I was just wanting a little bit of advice if thats ok! Im at uni at the mo doing a law degree and want some work experience. Im not wanting to work for a huge firm as im not fancying company/commercial law and would love to do family law in a smaller firm. My problem is that im finding it hard to get any work experience. I've sent out a few letters asking about this but never received a reply - it seems like you need to know someone to get you in the door Most people i've spoken to have said someone that they knew got them in but i don't know anyone in a law firm but im sort of stuck! Does anyone have any ideas how I can go about some work experience as I seem to be failing drastically! xXx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Do you have any firms local to you? You could perhaps pop in in person and see if you can speak to someone face to face....might be a long shot Could your uni offer any help/suggestions? Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phonix Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 honestly the uni are awful with suggestions!!! the only lecturer who i would guess would have been use as she actually cares and helped me alot when i took her module last year has now left! The careers centre just tell you to get experience bu have no suggestions as to how!!! Im in a student house so there aren't really any firms around me other than the city centre ones and I think i might be seen as quite disrespectful if i just go in as they will probably be really busy xXx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Hmm, if only I knew some lawyers in Liverpool! Do law firms have fancy websites with a careers/job section on them? If I have any other bright (or not so bright ) ideas I'll let you know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Could you contact any students in the year above you. They might recommend you. Sorry its not very helpful but that helped my son get work experience. not law though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimmyCustard Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 You could give your council's Social Services a try, they have family lawyers/solicitors contact details and may be willing to pass on a few tel nos for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phonix Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 Im going into third year We never really got to know the year above as the mentoring scheme didn't start until the year after so we were the ones doing the mentoring and socials didn't really take off as no-one mixed... Law seems to be an awful subject at our uni for help as anyone else I know doing another subject has loads of help and career/experience advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phonix Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 You could give your council's Social Services a try, they have family lawyers/solicitors contact details and may be willing to pass on a few tel nos for you? thats a great idea - im not even sure that I 100% want to be a solicitor so maybe they would have some advice for me about careers with them too xXx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimmyCustard Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 A pleasure Phonix! I work for the Boys in Blue and we have lots of dealings with Hammersmith and Fulham Social Services, there's certainly never a dull moment in their office (ours neither come to that!) and they would def be able to talk you through some choices if youre unsure what you want to do.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phonix Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 Kimmy that was one of my options but I just couldn't do it due to health problems! I have 2 dodgy knees xXx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimmyCustard Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 I bet youre fitter than some of the coppers I know! Speak to the council staff, I'm sure they will help you. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 I've sent you a PM, Phonix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackiepoppies Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 Hi there, Just an idea but Fred might be able to point you in the right direction. He's doing work experience in London at the moment. Hope you find something thats just right for you! Jackiex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 Smaller firms probably less geared up to work experience; if there are 10 employees then 1 work experience person makes much more of an impact than when there are 1,000 employees, and sometimes it can be quite time-consuming to explain and generally supervise someone who is there temprarily. After all, they will want to be sure that you get somethign out of it, and not spend your days making coffee and using the copier! A lot of the bigger firms offer placements as a way of recruiting, and not as a way of getting extra help - at least this is try of accountancy. Is it worth trying to get a Plan B of a larger company, preferably one which still has a familly law department, even though this is not your ideal, as before you have any experience or qualifications it can be very hard to get in the door, as you're discovering! That way at least you won't be left high-and-dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 In the dim and distant past I knew a lawyer who worked for USDAW, the union. She was based in Manchester though. There may be other unions based in Liverpool you could try. Or are there any charities based in Liverpool? In my experience public sector organisations and charities do tend to support work experience more than large public sector companies - I had some success in finding placements with small businesses too - but this was for NACRO, so I was looking for different type of placement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 How about contacting your local council? They will have a legal dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 Egluntine beat me to it If you might want to consider somewhere other than a private firm, councils have legal services. Counties cover areas like education, social services, property and common law. Districts have areas such as litigation, housing and planning. Unitaries like Liverpool cover the lot. If you want to do work experience, I would suggest you write to their Head of Legal cc Head of Human Resources and you will need to tell them what you are particularly interested in eg area of work or attending committees/court, seeing democracy at work and what you can do in your time there eg assist with filing of papers, drafting of statements, research. Most of the letters saying I want work experience will get little consideration but one that says what you want and what you bring might just get you through the door. You could also try making an appointment to see one of their solicitors about careers in local government and see if you can use that to chat your way into some work experience. Al the very best - keep us posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 You should try a law centre - there are bound to be some in Liverpool. they provide free legal services for people who can't afford advice, and deal with a lot of family law. I've done shadowing with them, but I'm sure they would love a work experience law student. Info here http://www.lawcentres.org.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phonix Posted September 2, 2008 Author Share Posted September 2, 2008 woah loads of useful advice there thanks guys! Im working full time for a couple of weeks and then its back to uni sooo when I get back and clear myself a free afternoon I think i'll just work my way through your suggestions!!! A lot of the bigger firms offer placements as a way of recruiting, and not as a way of getting extra help - at least this is try of accountancy. There is the chance with the bigger firms of getting a place on a vacation scheme which is as you say a way of recruiting, these are sooo competitive and if I did ever manage to get a place i'd feel bad taking the place away from someone who dreams of working for one of these firms when I know that its not at all what I want!!! I know I should give it a go and apply even if just to see if I get it and go from there but im just not sure...anyways ive got until January to apply for this summers so I can think about it a bit more xXx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
